The Blum Merians Foundation
The Blum Merians Foundation is a private foundation based in Larchmont, New York. In its 2025 filing, it reported 25 grants totaling $72,472 to charitable organizations; the filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected organizations.
The Blum Merians Foundation at a glance
In short: The Blum Merians Foundation gave $72K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state New Jersey. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $72,472
- -2.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,899
- -22.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $639,365
- -3.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (8 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (36% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Blum Merians Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 10 Bonnie Briar Lane, Larchmont, NY 10538
Phone: (914) 834-0235
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Blum Merians Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Paterson Education Foundation - Mel Merians Memorial Fund ($26K). Together the top 10 received $54K.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 98 grants of 98 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey (36%) and New York (31%). Recipients in California received 9%; those in the District of Columbia and Minnesota each received 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Blum Merians Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 25 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 62% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 215% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $35K (2023) to $74K (2024). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $72K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paterson Education Foundation - Mel Merians Memorial Fund Paterson, NJ | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $25,750 |
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $5,150 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $3,134 |
| Habitat for Humanity Newburgh, NY | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $3,129 |
| Food Bank for New York City New York, NY | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $3,125 |
| Regional Food Bank Latham, NY | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $3,090 |
| Advocates for Trans Equality New York, NY | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $3,078 |
| Black Voters Matterbvm Capacity Bldg Inst Carol Stream, IL | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $3,000 |
| Everyorg San Francisco, CA | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $2,300 |
| Raices San Antonio, TX | To Help Fund Their Charitable Purposes | $2,097 |
Ready to take the next step with The Blum Merians Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $639,365 | $61,679 | $85,404 | $72,472 | 25 | $75,447 | $52,269 | $35,022 |
| 2024 | $663,402 | $34,418 | $87,844 | $74,456 | 20 | $77,706 | $26,256 | $36,321 |
| 2023 | $720,173 | $32,435 | $49,384 | $34,541 | 17 | $37,476 | $23,352 | $35,118 |
| 2022 | $737,953 | $81,612 | $58,203 | $44,740 | 20 | $47,300 | $21,709 | $35,289 |
| 2021 | $715,077 | $64,249 | $66,649 | $52,042 | 16 | $55,392 | $52,992 | $40,412 |
| 2020 | $717,506 | $45,849 | $57,347 | $49,800 | 16 | — | $38,159 | $35,343 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Blum Merians Foundation reported a distributable amount of $35K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied charitable purposes. For example, the International Rescue Committee describes its work as responding to humanitarian crises and helping people affected by conflict and disaster. World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Food Bank for New York City describes its mission as helping New Yorkers achieve food security, while Advocates for Trans Equality says it works for the legal and political rights of transgender people.
Other 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions concern affordable housing, hunger relief, humanitarian healthcare for children in Palestine, and weather and climate research and education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $72,472. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $25,750, with a median of $2,000.
The largest reported grant was $25,750 to Paterson Education Foundation – Mel Merians Memorial Fund. Other notable grants included $5,150 to the International Rescue Committee, $3,134 to World Central Kitchen, $3,129 to Habitat for Humanity, $3,125 to Food Bank for New York City, and $3,090 to Regional Food Bank. The filing states that these contributions help fund the recipients’ charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elaine Merians as president, Linda Merians as treasurer, and Diane Burrows as secretary. Trustees listed are Amy Merians, Joshua Burrows, Rachel Paradis, Sarah Burrows, Addie Merians, and Ethan Merians.
The Blum Merians Foundation is led by Elaine Merians, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elaine Merians
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Addie Merians
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Merians
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ethan Merians
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joshua Burows
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Paradis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Burows
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Burrows
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Merians
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Blum Merians Foundation
How much does The Blum Merians Foundation give each year?
The Blum Merians Foundation gave $72K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $74K across 20 grants.
What is The Blum Merians Foundation's typical grant size?
The Blum Merians Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,899, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Blum Merians Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Blum Merians Foundation give grants?
The Blum Merians Foundation's top state is New Jersey, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (31%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (3 grants).
Who are The Blum Merians Foundation's largest grantees?
The Blum Merians Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Paterson Education Foundation - Mel Merians Memorial Fund ($25,750), International Rescue Committee ($5,150) and World Central Kitchen ($3,134), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Blum Merians Foundation?
The Blum Merians Foundation reported $639K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $75K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $35K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Blum Merians Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied charitable purposes. For example, the International Rescue Committee describes its work as responding to humanitarian crises and helping people affected by conflict and disaster. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Blum Merians Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Blum Merians Foundation's EIN?
The Blum Merians Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3689669. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Blum Merians Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Blum Merians Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-blum-merians-foundation-morg_dda7ea23edfc4b8fb187d152e3878b64
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133689669_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Blum Merians Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-blum-merians-foundation-morg_dda7ea23edfc4b8fb187d152e3878b64},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Blum Merians Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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